of americans were devastated by the impact of hurricane sandy. nbc meteorologist bill karins joins us with the latest. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. >>> joining us now from washington, columnist and associate editor for "the washington post," david ignatius. richard haass, jon meacham, john heilemann still at the table. >> so david, what challenges face not only the president but the country in the coming year? >> well, a lot of them, joe. it's as if president obama, sometime last summer, put a sign on the white house lawn saying, closed for business until after the election. well, now we're well after the election, and the problems that have been waiting are stacked up. and i'd start with iran. there have been quiet conversations going on all fall with the people who purport to be intermediaries, emissaries for the iranian leadership sketching possible deals that could be made to resolve the nuclear issue. president obama and his advisers are going to have to decide over the next, i'd say, month or so how serious those deals are. i think it's possible in addition